Measure for measure
Page 18
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ITALY has taken steps to meet some of the objections b; international road transport firms to the new tax on vehicle leaving the country with full or partially full fuel tanks (see Ch January 12).
The problem has arisen because Italian diesel is among the cheapest in Europe, costing the equivalent of around 14p per litre compared to 35p in neighbouring Switzerland.
Foreign drivers were filling their tanks to the brim before leaving the country — and in some cases lorries were fitted with extra tanks. This was causing severe shortages in some parts of the country and it was difficult to obtain heating oil.
The new legislation introduced without warning on January 1 set a limit of 50 litre. (about 11 gallons) as thE maximum amount of fuel that commercial vehicles could take out of the country.
The International Road Transport Union protested that the limit is so low that some lorries could havE trouble on gradients.
After pressure from road haulage associations in several countries the EEC Commission has been in contact with the Italian Government. It has now agreed that lorries can leave the country with the same amount of fuel with which they entered. The amount in the tank can be certified by the customs authorities at the point of entry.
The EEC authorities are not entirely satisfied as the Italian action still constitutes a restraint.